Antislipping attachment for shoes



Patented Jan. 27,1920.

allow,

ALEXANDER L. ULLRICI-I, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ANTISLIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR SHOES.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

lApplication led August 22, 1918, Serial No. 251,016. Renewed July 8, 1919. Serial No. 309,483.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER Il. ULL- niCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Antislipping Attachments for Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ice-creepers or anti-slipping devices for boots and shoes.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and efficient device of this character which may be quickly applied to and removed from a boot or shoe and which is designed to afford better traction to assist the wearer in walking on ice or slippery streets.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a shoe sole with this improved Creeper shown applied,

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the creeper detached,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. al is a similar view taken on the line l-l of Fig. 2.

In the embodim ent illustrated, the Creeper constituting this invention comprises a pair of substantially parallel link chains 1 and 2 adapted to extend longitudinally and lie flat upon the bottom of the shoe sole to which the device is applied. These chains 1 and 2 are connected at intermediate points by cross chains 3, any desired number of which may be employed, two being here shown.

The rear ends of the chains 1 and 2 are connected to a sole engaging member 5 composed of two adjustable plates 6 and 7, each having at its outer end an upstanding sole engaging flange or clip 8 and each provided with a longitudinally extending slot 9. The plate 6 has a stud 10 depending` from its inner end and slidably mounted in the slot 9 lof plate 7, while -a stud 11 carried by a plate or link 12 projects upwardly through the inner end of plate 7 and into the slot 9 of plate 6, said stud 11 forming a pivot or connector for uniting plates 6, 7 and 12. Another stud 13 pivotally connects the apex of a substantially isosceles triangular plate 1A which is arranged in alinement with plate 7 and has at one corner of its outer end an upstanding inger 15 carried by an obliquely disposed arm 16, and which is designed as an operating handle for plate 14.

A stud 17 connects the outer end of plate 12 with the other free corner of plate 14; and is designed when 'the device is in operative position to engage a recess 1S formed in one end of plate 6, as is shown clearly in Fig. 2.

This connector is designed to be fastened to the sole of the shoe at the instep just forward of the heel, and the plate 141 with the arm 16 constitutes a lever which, by actuation, may adjust the connector to lit either a narrow or a wide shoe, the upstanding flanges 8 being designed to engage the side edges of the sole and to clench thereover. To move the flange 8 carried by the member 7 away from member 6, the lever arm 16 is swung inwardly, that is, toward the toe of the shoe, and this movement, through link 12- forces plate 7 outward to increase the distance between the flanges 8 of the two members 6 and 7. After the clamp is prop erly positioned on the shoe sole, lever 16 is swung out into the position shown in Fig. 2 and thereby clamps the edges of the sole between said flanges.

Another connector 19 is engaged with the front ends of the chains 1 and 2 and is designed to be secured on the sole of the toe part of a shoe, and is adjustable in width to fit either a. narrow or a wide sole shoe.

This connector 19 is composed of two substantially L-shaped plates 2O and 21, each having' one arm extended laterally and the other arm rearwardly. the rear arm 22 being apertured to receive the front ends of the chains 1 and 2, as is shown clearly in Fig. 2. The other arm 23 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 24: to receive studs as 25 which project upwardly from the bottom plate 26. A top plate 27 is superposed on plate 26 and spaced therefrom by a spacing sleeve 28 carried by a pivot 29 which connects the plates 26 and 27 midway their ends (see Figs. 2 and Ll). The lateral arms 23 of the L-shaped plates 2O and 21 are disposed between the cross plates 26 and 27 and the studs 25 carried by the bottom plate 26 and which pass through the apertures 24k in the arms 23 are designed to t into notches 30 and 3l formed in the opposed side edges ont the top plate 27 near its opposite ends las isl shown clearly in Fig. 2.

Sole engaging clips or flanges 32 and 33 project upwardly 'from the outer ends of the arms 23 of plates 20 and 2l as is shown clearly in Figs. 2 and l and are bent inwardlv to have a clenching' engagement with the side edges of the solo at the toe of the shoe.

.lt will thus be seen that the connector 19 ymay be adjusted in width to lit either a narrow or a wide sole shoe, and when so adjusted and engaged with the shoe sole, the other connector at the rear of the chains is secured to the shank or instep portion of the shoe, and the only part visible when looking down on the shoe will be the actuatingarm and finger 16 and 15.

l/V hen this device is applied to a shoe sole, the cross chains 3 and the side chains l and 2 will operate as anti-skidding devices and also the connectors at the ends ot these chains will assist in preventing slipping.

il. Creeper constructed as above described will be light and strong and may be quickly applied to and detached from a shoe, and when detached may be folded eompactly for carrying in the pocket of the owner. Moreover, the Creeper constructed as herein set forth is iiexible and will conform to the movements of the Jfoot of the wearer so that the latter will not be cramped or sprained.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that l may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device of the class described comprising substantially parallel chains adapted to extend longitudinally from the bottom of a shoe sole, cross chains connecting said side chains, a laterally adjustable connector engaged with the ends of said parallel chains at the rear thereof and having means for engagement with a shoe sole, a similar connector uniting the front ends of said chains, and means for clamping said connectors to a shoe sole.

2. A device of the class described con prising a pair of parallel chains adapted to extend longitudinally from the bottom of a shoe sole, a laterally adjust-able convnector at the front ends 01' said chains, a laterally adjustable connector at the rear ends oit' said chains equipped with an actuating' lever i'or locking it in adjusted position on a shoe sole, and sole engaging clips carried by each connector'.

A device of the class described comprising parallel chains connected by cross chains and adapted to lie on the bottom of a shoe sole and to extend longitudinally thereof, a connector for the rear endsof said chains having means :tor detachably and clampingly engaging a shoe sole, and a connector at the front ends of the chains comprisingl two l.shaped plates having one arm extended longitudinally or the shoe sole and engaged with the parallel chains, the other arm being turned inwardly and extended transversely oi the sole, a pair ot superpcsed plates encompassing said transverse plate arms, and cooperating elements adjustablj.v connecting said plates with said arms.

il. sin ice Creeper including an anti-skidding connector comprising a pair ot l.- shaped plates having one arm extended rearwardly and parallel with each other for connection with anti-slipping members, and their other arms transversely toward each other., said transverse arms being provided with a' plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures, and top and bot-tom plates between which said apertured arms are positioned, the bottom plate carrying studs extending upwardly and adapted t-o enter one of said apertures in each arm. and the top plate having notches in its opposed side edges it'orV adjustable engagement with said studs.

In testimony whereoil l alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER L. ULLRCH.

l/Vitnesses Mrs. ALEX. ULLRICH, H. H. BLUM. 

